what should be the country's (philippines) "official" landmark?

Question

france has the eiffel, india the taj majal, egypt the pyramids...

Answer 1

the statue of rizal in luneta sucks! rice terraces are common in southeast asia. i'd go for mayon or taal, or an old church, the paoay or miagao

Answer 2

Glorietta and Greenbelt

or

SM Megamall

or

The rotting Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 1.

Answer 3

The Banaue Rice Terraces

Answer 4

cant think of any landmark unique to the philippines except for the jeepneys but then its more of an icon i guess.

Answer 5

If I had to pick one it would be the Cordilleras Rice Terraces which extend beyond banaue. Because they were built before the Spanish arrived, and are the result of a shared community spirit, not slave labor. They are truly indigenous creations that embody a commitment to collaboration and cooperation. Further, legend has it that the Igorot god, Kabunyan/Lumaig used these steps to visit his people on earth which connects rice terraces to the original philiosphical and regligious beliefs of the indigenous Igorots. Archealogical evidence has shown techniques used to build the terraces were developed and are mostly unchanged for the past 2,000 years. Finally, the terraces are a great example of widespread sustainable land use on steep mountains and watershed conservation efforts.

But, I don't think there's only one landmark!!! Read on...
...........
The Philippines has been using the landmark designations from the NHS (National Historical Institute) located on the Luneta, from the United Nations UNESCO, and the European Union ASEAN.

NHI has set the following sites as Historical Landmarks and Shrines: Baldomero Aguinaldo Shrine; Barasoain Church; Battle site of Paoan Lupa; Bonifacio Trial House; Casa Comunidad Historic Landmark; Casa Real Shrine; Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine; Gregorio Aglipay Shrine; Juan Luna Shrine; Leon Apacible Landmark.

UNESCO the following as World Heritage Sites: four Augustian churchs (Miagao in Iloilo, St Augustine in the Intramurous, and Santa Marie and Paoay Churches in Ilocos Norte), Vigan, Puerto Princessa Subterannean River National Park, the rice terraces of the Cordilleras, and the Tubataha Reef Marine Park. Over the past few years, various groups and agencies in the Philippines have tried in vain to expand this list, notably are efforts in 2007.

ASEAN designated the following as ASEAN Heritage Parks in the PI; Mt. Apo National Park and Iglit-Baco National Park.

The Original designation of a National Park or Protected area was first established by the US Administration under order no 33 on 25 Apr 1910: Rizal (Dapitan) National Park; follwed by Act No 3915 on 1 Feb 1932 which designated a system to be established to create National Parks until 1952 and was under the Jursidiction of the Bureau of Forestry. Today, 10 administrative bodies in the Philippines regulate the National Parks, which include the DENR, Natural Conservation Office, PAWB; 11 private conservation groups, and 17 acadmeic conservation groups. The issue is that many parks are designated by one group and if funding stops or runs out then no other group seems to take over, which is what happened at Mayon and in Sorsogon for many years.

In July 2007, the Senate passed SB 1090 to allow for a National Landmark Program, and this is funded by 550 million pesos from PAGCOR (Philippines Amusment and Gaming Corporation). Various groups will chair the new NLC (National Landmark Committee) to identify previously overlooked sites. The purpose of the new program is to conserve sites overlooked by UNESCO funding. The NLC shall control 550 mil P from PAGCOR for disbursments to the National Landmark program. As of today, this has not happened. Unfortunatly, the title National Landmark is not to be confused as something to be given to historical sites already conserved and well funded. As a result, the UNESCO sites should not be considered for the National Landmark program.

There can be no single site designated as a national landmark. I would start by designating those sites set by NHI , and then those not already funded by UNESCO but sumtted, which are:

1 Jesuit Churches of the Philippines; (a) Guiwan, Samar; (b) Maragondon, Cavite; (c) Baclayon, Eo`hol; (d) Loboc, Bohol (1993)
2 San Sebastian Church (2006)
3 *Angono Triglyphs (1993)
4 Spanish Colonial Fortifications of the Philippines; (a) Fuerza de Capul in Samar; (b) Daunis Watch Tower in Bohol; (c) Punta Cruz Fortification in Bohol; (d) Fuerza de San Andres in Romblon; (e) Fuerza de Sta. Isabel in Palawan (2006)
Batanes Protected landscapes and seascapes (1993)
5 *The Tabon Cave Complex and all of Lipuun (2006)
6 *Paleolithic Archaeological Sites in Cagayan Valley (2006)
7 *Kabayan Mummy Burial Caves (2006)
8 *Butuan Archeological Sites (2006)
9 Baroque Churches of the Philippines; (a) Patrocinio de Maria, Boljo-on in Cebu; (b) La Inmaculada Concepcion, Guiuan in Samar; (c) San Pedro Apostol, Loboc in Bohol; (d) San Isidro Labrador, Lazi in Siquijor; (d) San Mattias, Tumauini in Isabela (an Extension, 2006)
10 The Maranao Settlement of Tugaya (2006)
11 *Petroglyphs and Petrographs of the Philippines (2006)
12 *Neolithic Shell Midden Sites in Lal-lo and Gattaran Municipalities (2006)
14 Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary (2006)
15 Chocolate Hills Natural Monument (2006)
16 *Ligawasan Marsh (2006)
17 Taal Volcano Protected landscape, Batangas (2006)
18 Panglao Island, Bohol (2006)
19 Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (2006)
20 Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park (2006)
21 Mt. Pulag National Park (2006)
22 Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary (2006)
23 Apo Reef Natural Park (2006)
24 El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area (2006)
25 Coron Island Natural Biotic Area (2006)
27 Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park and outlying areas inclusive of the buffer zone (2006)

28 Lakes of the Philippines; (a) Laguna de Bay in Luzon; (b) Lake Taal, and nearby Taal City/Basilica in Luzon; (c) Lake Bulusan in Bicol; (d) Lake Caliraya in Laguna; (e) Danao Lake in Leyte; Lake Lanao in Caraga; and Lake Mainit in Caraga.
29 Busulan Volcano National Park in Sorsogon.
30 Nitmiluk falls and Baler in Aurora
31 Planan in Isabela
32 Rainforests of the Philippines; (a) Palawan; (b) Bohol; (c) Mindanao; (d) Mindoro; (e) and ******.

Answer 6

the crowded airport

Answer 7

the girlie bars